Zucchini and Basil Soup

The heat of the summer has been wearing me down. My skin is sticky, lips are parched. I find myself feeling dehydrated, no matter how much water I drink. You may be wondering why then, I have decided to make soup. When we think of soup, we think of warm, comforting goodness. A bowl that heats us from the inside out while nourishing us from within. Lucky for us, there is a whole other world of soup possibilities out there, especially in these dog days of summer.

Cold soups are a godsend when you can’t eat another salad- even for veggie-loving me, that can happen, but you need something hydrating, something that does just the opposite of those rich winter stews- that cools you from the inside out. This cool soup was loosely inspired by cucumber dill soups I had eaten a few times growing up in sweltering North Carolina. We’re in zucchini season, so my fridge is loaded with them. Basil is my essential summer herb; I always need to have a little bit on hand, just in case I stumble upon a perfect tomato or need a little something to make a summer dish really sing. And sing this soup does.

Many cold soups begin with raw ingredients and end with raw ingredients, only getting a quick puress in a blender- tomato gazapcho, for instance- but I found that a quick cook of the vegetables makes for a softer flavor that allows the lemony basil and earthy avocado to standout rather than play second fiddle to pungent onion, sharp garlic, and grassy zucchini. This makes one serving, two if you're serving it as a starter, made more filing by avocado and edamame. It's perfect for when you come home, hot, ravenous, with no one to feed but yourself. It can be eaten warm, cool, or cold, but I find the flavors are most robust when just cool. It is easily doubled or tripled, so it’s the perfect way to make use of that zucchini surplus.

Zucchini and Basil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
¼ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup frozen edamame or canned chickpeas
1 pound zucchini, chopped
¼ cup water
1 lemon, juiced and ½ zested
generous handful fresh basil leaves
½ avocado, divided
1 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat in a medium pot. Add onion, and saute 3-5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, edamame (or chickpeas), zucchini, ¼ cup water, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer and cook for 7 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to blender and add lemon zest and juice, basil, ¼ avocado, and remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil. Blend until smooth, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. If mixture is to thick to your liking, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If you would like to cool the mixture down and reduce thickness, add 1-3 ice cubes and blend. Cool in refrigerator prior to enjoying or eat warm. Garnish with remaining ¼ avocado, chopped, walnuts, and basil chiffonade. Enjoy! Serves 1 for main course, 2 for starter.

Zucchini and Manchego Polenta with Saffron Tomato Jam

A piping bowl of cheesy polenta is one of the most comforting foods. I love cooking it in the winter plopped under a lovely stew, the perfect foil to those heartier toppings. For the summer, polenta may seem too heavy, too dense, but I decided to lighten it up a little by tossing in summer vegetables to cook right along with the polenta. My first thought was to throw in some corn to make the corn flavor really pop, but I was late to the farmers' market and none was to be had. Instead, I threw in some finely shredded zucchini, and I dare say this version is even more fun. It dots the polenta with little specks of green and lightens the whole dish. I knew I was going to top the polenta with my Saffron Tomato Jam, so I drew on the Spanish cuisine and sprinkled in some shredded Manchego. Of course, another aged cheese would work, even good ole cheddar.

This is the perfect way to sneak in some vegetables if you have some veggie skeptics. While it is delicious as is, a poached egg could turn this into something really special.

Zucchini and Manchego Polenta with Saffron Tomato Jam

5 1/2 - 6 cups water
1 1/2 cups polenta (cornmeal, not instant)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large zucchini, grated
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces or 1 1/2 cups grated Manchego cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
Saffron Tomato Jam, for serving
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, for serving

Bring 5 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add polenta and salt and whisk thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and cover and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Stir in shredded zucchini, cover, and allow to cook for 10 more minutes. If polenta is rather thick, stir in 1/2 cup more of water and stir to absorb. This can vary depending on how pulpy your zucchini is. Remove pot from heat, stir in olive oil, grated cheese, and adjust for salt and pepper. Top with saffron tomato jam and toasted pine nuts. Enjoy! Serves 6.

Late Summer Minestrone

My favorite soup of all time is my late grandmother's minestrone soup. Studded with everything from cabbage to white beans to potatoes to little pasta, it is a whole meal in a bowl. The best part is always topping it with a sprinkling of super sharp, aged Italian cheese- either pecorino romano or Parmigiano-reggiano. I could eat it anytime of year. It is light enough for summer but hearty enough for winter. It just makes me think of all of those visits to her house as a kid. The only problem is that it requires a whole grocery cart full of ingredients and half of your day. There is a reason it is so delicious and so coveted by my family. When you order a minestrone soup in a restaurant, however, it is always a bit of a surprise what you get. The only somewhat predictable things you can expect when your bowl arrives to the table are a tomato-based broth, some vegetables, beans, and pasta in a tomato-based broth. All the little details are up to the chef. At home, minestrone soup's versatility is what makes it so great for using up odds and ends of vegetables you have left in the fridge. You throw in some beans, some pasta, and some tomatoes and you have got yourself a minestrone.

This is a pretty low maintenance soup. In my version here, I love how the zucchini and macaroni noodles soak up the broth as it cooks. I used Swiss chard, sauteing the stems in with the onions, but any greens could do. The little something that gives this soup some real body and deliciousness is the finely grated cheese thrown in just before serving. In most soups that I am simmering for a long time, I like to throw in a rind from a hunk of Parmiggiano-reggiano, a trick I learned from my Italian host mother several years ago, but I wanted this to be quick. And instead of just sprinkling some on each bowl at the end like my Grandma would do, I mix it all together to create a rich broth flavor in no time. Sprinkle some fresh basil to give it a bright, fresh note at the end, and you have dinner.

My only cautionary note here is that the pasta will continue to soak up all of the broth as it is sits, so be sure to check the doneness of the noodles often to avoid overcooking them. This is a fabulous soup to make ahead of time and in large batches to freeze for those nights when a big bowl of soup is the only thing that will do.

Late Summer Minestrone

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups water or vegetable broth
2/3 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 bunch of Swiss chard, washed, stems finely chopped and leaves cut in 1/2-inch wide strips
2 medium zucchini, washed and diced into 1-centimeter cubes
1 cup cooked and drained chickpeas (canned are fine although I used ones I had previously cooked and frozen)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1 large handful of basil, leaves cut in chiffonade
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and chard stems. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute about 8-10 minutes or until vegetables have softened and onions are translucent.

Add diced tomatoes and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and add pasta, chard, zucchini, and chickpeas. Stir to mix and allow to cook at low boil for 7-10 minutes or until vegetables are soft and pasta is al dente. Stir often during this time to ensure even cooking of the vegetables. Remove from heat. Pasta and vegetables will continue to cook a little more.

Add finely grated cheese to pot and stir until thoroughly combined, and broth slightly thickens and cheese has melted completely. Sprinkle soup with basil pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with additional cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired. Enjoy!  Serves 4-6.

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Toss

So you want to know one of my favorite things about summer? Those sheets of corn kernels that fall off the cob when you run your knife down alongside it. There is something so satisfying about their texture. Sure, eating corn right off the cob is pretty fun too, but it can be messy, and kernels get stuck in your teeth inevitably on the day you run out of floss. Corn kernel sheets take the cake for me. If only there was a foolproof way to maximize the number of kernels in a sheet.

This corn and zucchini number is pretty awesome. I put a lot of pressure on myself for making the most of these corn sheets other than just nibbling them up by themselves, and I think I did them justice. I toss sweet corn, tender zucchini, and a spicy chile with zingy red wine vinegar and buttery walnuts. Simple, beautiful, and really delicious. I promise.

Grilling corn, if you have never done it, is so easy. It beats boiling it or even sauteing it because it caramelizes the corn's sugars in the most perfect way. If a grill is not accessible, broiling it is always an option, just be sure to turn it every so often to prevent burning.

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Toss

2 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 large zucchini, washed and cut into 1 cm dice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 red chili, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat grill to high. Alternatively, turn your broiler on high. Rub each ear of corn with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Grill or broil, turning occasionally for about 10 minutes or until lightly charred all around. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, slice corn off the cob, preserving as many corn sheets as possible, and set aside. I use a small bowl turned upside down in a larger bowl to help catch any rogue kernels (see photo).

Meanwhile, heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium- high heat. Add diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly golden, about 5-8 minutes. Add zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 5 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Add sliced red chili and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar.

Carefully combine corn and zucchini mixture. Sprinkle in toasted walnuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy! Serves 4.

Zucchini Confit with Miso

So I have a bit of a crush on the editors of Food52. It is a beautiful food site with a wealth of amazing food ideas. I always find myself learning a little something whenever I peruse their site, that is if I do not get sucked into browsing their gorgeous online shop. I was pumped to go to a free event with fellow foodie and blogger, Grace, at the Free Library of Philadelphia the other night that featured Merrill Stubb, co-founder of Food52, and Kristin Miglore, executive editor and the writer of their weekly Genius Recipes column. They were promoting their new book Food52: Genius Recipes. I honestly did not know too much about the book before going, but I left completely inspired (and still thinking that they have the coolest job ever and wish I had said coolest job).

The idea behind Genius Recipes is that each recipe features a little tip, technique, or ingredient combo that will really up your cooking game. They may seem a little odd at first and perhaps go against normal cooking rules, but then they totally, magically work. They discussed how lemon juice can turn cream into a magical dressing for figs, how salt on yogurt is their new go-to breakfast, and how cooking broccoli forever is actually not the worst idea ever.

This recipe is inspired by the recipe they discussed, Roy Finamore's Broccoli Cooked Forever. You can find the recipe in their new book, but it also here on their site. You blanch broccoli, add it to an olive oil, garlic, anchovy, and chile mixture, and simmer it on the stove, covered, for 2 hours. After 2 hours, you find murky green broccoli that they describe as a "miraculous substance" that can be smeared on bread, pureed in soup, tossed with pasta, or just eaten by itself. Supposedly all the cruciferous funkiness mellows and broccoli almost becomes a little sweet. Seems pretty awesome, right?

Considering I had no broccoli but loads of zucchini, I decided I would have to try this sort of vegetable "confiting" with my zucchini. And boy, is it delicious. And foolproof. And low maintenance. But also, a little ugly. This is most definitely one of those don't-judge-a-book-by-it's-cover recipes. It looks pretty anemic, but I promise that the flavor is not. I did not have any anchovies so I decided to mix in some miso paste instead, and I love the umami richness it gave. I let it cook for about 80 minutes, less time than the broccoli because it is a much softer vegetable. Because it cooked for so long though, the miso takes on a  bit of sweetness, too. You could make a big batch of this and find all sorts of uses for it. I served it on crostini here, but I tossed it in with some cooked brown rice and feta cheese a little later. And I'm planning on smearing it on a pizza before the summer ends.

And if you find this intriguing, check out Grace's beautiful rendition with summer greens from her backyard garden.

Zucchini Confit with Miso

1 1/4 pound zucchini, washed, dried, and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon miso paste
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, use your fingers to smear the sliced zucchini pieces with the miso paste as best as you can. Heat the olive oil and sliced garlic over medium heat in a large skillet. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the chili flakes. Add the coated zucchini pieces and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to very low. Cook for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring every so often to distribute the zucchini, being careful not to mush zucchini. Remove from heat, uncover, and let cool. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or slightly chilled. Makes about 2 cups.